Neko Sasuke
by CrAzY-SiLLy-Me
Summary: Uchiha Sasuke has been turned into a halfcat and stuck in his 8yr old body! Sakura is assigned to take care of him until a cure is discovered. But will he ever return back to normal? SasuSaku slight OOC
1. Eighteen minus Ten

_A/N: Full Summary can be found in Snapshot's Chapter 8._

_

* * *

_**  
Neko Sasuke**

Red eyes looked over the whole village of Konoha as the owner of the eyes stood still on a pole, eyeing a certain apartment of someone he knows all too well. The clouds gave way to the moon as it lighted the man who was clad in a black cloak, designed with red clouds and a straw hat resting on top of his head. He raised the tip of it, a ring on one of his fingers, and completely pulled off the head gear. Long raven hair tied to a ponytail swayed with the wind like silk, his bangs blown away from his face to give a good look at his complexion and facial features. A forehead protector of Konoha was around his head, only there was a slash across it, meaning he was a missing nin from that village. His name: Uchiha Itachi.

"Guarding your little brother Itachi?"

He look down to where his blue-skinned partner appeared on the ground, right near the pole. "Not entirely," he answered and gave one last look before jumping down beside Kisame. "Let's go, I'm pretty sure an ANBU squad has spotted us by now." The two Akatsuki members then disappeared in the shadows, leaving behind scattered leaves, courtesy of the night wind.

* * *

_**Chapter 1: Eighteen minus Ten**_

"A-rank solo mission?"

Tsunade gave a nod and threw the scroll to the ANBU captain before her. "You'll be thanking me for giving you this mission Sasuke, and you have at least a week to accomplish it." Sasuke raised a brow and untied the scroll, reading its contents. His eyes shot wide and brows began to knit together, onyx orbs shifted to red as he clutched onto the parchment of paper. "Since when?" he asked. The fifth hokage just gave a smirk. "He was spotted last night, watching over you as you slept."

"What the-" he got cut off when the office door burst open as Naruto came in, panting and sweating. Tsunade, Shizune, Sasuke and even Ton-Ton, turned to the blonde newbie ANBU who glared and pointed an accusing finger at Sasuke. "You made Sakura wait for you!" With a sigh and a roll of his eyes, Sasuke turned back to Tsunade. "When do I leave?" Again, Naruto cried out in frustration and attempted to charge at Sasuke, who crouched down, causing Naruto to head toward Tsunade's direction, who pushed herself and the chair she sat on to the left, expertly avoiding the kyuubi vessel's attack, causing the blonde dead-last to hit the glass window, face first.

"I'm glad that window is chakra enhanced." She muttered and faced Sasuke. "Now."

"W-wait a minute!" but Naruto's cries were heard by deaf ears when Sasuke disappeared in a cloud of smoke. The newbie ANBU then confronted the fifth. "What is the meaning of this you old woman?" It resulted to a hit on the head but Tsunade answered his question none the less. "His brother."

His blue eyes widened. "You're sending him to go alone?"

"If he was able to come back from Sound on his own after a fight with Orochimaru, he can handle."

"But that snake homo sannin is weaker than Itachi!"

"I know that Naruto," Tsunade fixed the papers that scattered on her desk. "But as what you told me after Sasuke conversed with the Kyuubi," she eyed the blonde. "Sasuke has great potential, if he was able to get rid of the nine-tails temporarily, then he can at least win, if not kill, against Itachi." She turned to face the window. "I didn't promote him as ANBU captain of the best ANBU team for nothing." Her eyes tuned to the closed door and she gave a small smile. "And this is a solo mission I assigned to him, therefore, no one can go with him unless I order someone to."

* * *

"_No wonder he wasn't at the bridge…" _and she let go of the door knob and ran out of the hokage tower. She was given a chance to advance to ANBU level, but she refused it and remained as a jounin, wanting to teach a team like her former sensei instead of being part of an assassination squad. _"Why didn't you inform the rest of the team Tsunade-shishou?" _

She continued to run downtown, her head turning in every direction, looking for her ex-teammate. Her eyes caught sight of his back, and she decided to yell out his name. "Sasuke!" the said eighteen year old stopped in his tracks and turned his head slightly, looking over his left shoulder to see who had called him. But he already knew who it was anyway. With a sigh, he turned his whole body to face the girl, waiting for her to reach him.

"What do you want now Sakura? I only have a week to complete this mission."

Sakura took a deep breathe in and gave a determined look at her crush. "Here." She said, extending out a fingerless gloved hand towards him. Sasuke looked down at her clenched fist, seeing a necklace. "Kakashi-sensei and Naruto have one as well, so do I." he looked at her for a second before taking the object from her. He saw his name engraved on the silver tag, below it was his clan's insignia. At the back was written "Team 7" vertically, similar to how his name was on it.

"It's sort of, a good luck charm, or a kind of encouragement when one of us go on a solo mission." She tuck a stray strand of pink hair behind her ear, a blush adorning her cheeks as she avoided his gaze on her. "Um… just remember that when you feel alone or giving up, look at it and you'll remember us. You'll remember that you have a home to come to, so don't ever give up." She nearly jumped when he pulled her to a hug, causing her emerald eyes to go as wide as saucers.

He has never hugged her before or anyone for that matter, nor has he ever started physical contact with anyone unless it was needed or necessary. To her, this was a first. "S-Sasuke..?" he closed his eyes and took a whiff of her strawberry scented hair, letting his left hand run down her long pink locks. "Sakura…" She didn't know why he was doing this _affectionate_ gesture, but her inner self told her to just enjoy the moment, because these things never last that long. "Thank you…" he whispered, and a second later, he was gone.

Déjà vu…

She fell to her knees and stared at where the man who captured her heart was once, absent-mindedly clasping her hands in front of her chest and lowering her head. _"Why did it felt like it will be the last time I'll see him again? Like it will be the first and last he's ever hugged me that way? Why does my heart… hurt..?"

* * *

_

He raced through the trees, jumping from branch to branch as he fixed his eyes on one direction. _"He passed by here, I can feel it…" _he thought, his hands clenching tight, the silver necklace was secured around his neck and hidden inside his ANBU uniform. _"This is it, this is the day that will finally settle who among us is better…" _he jumped down and stopped at a clearing. _"It's too quiet…" _he observed, eyes closed and ears picking up any faint sounds.

Although he was out of Konoha's borders, he was still in the forest near the village, and it would usually be filled with chirping birds and scurrying land animals and bugs. Yet somehow, not even the fishes in the small river a few feet away from him seemed to be active. _"He's here." _And to answer his assumptions, he jumped away, right in time to avoid a direct attack from Kisame's weapon.

"He's a sharp one Itachi." The blue-skinned Akatsuki said, eyeing Sasuke who still concealed his identity with a wolf mask. "What else would you expect from an Uchiha Kisame?" came the murderer of the Uchiha clan's voice. "If you haven't noticed yet, his hair is spiked up to the back, his katana has the Uchiha fan charm attached at the end of the handle, and his chakra is pretty much familiar."

"Itachi…" the ANBU hissed, removing his mask and glaring at the two with sharingan eyes. Three commas were swirling the pupil and narrowed dangerously. "Long time no see." The older Uchiha eyed the younger one and quirked both eyebrows. "I can say that you improved, a lot may I add. How old did you become ANBU?"

"That is none of your concern you sick bastard…" he growled in response, trying hard to not charge head on at the S-class criminal. "Ouch, is that how you treat your brother?" Sasuke took out his fuuma shuriken, his weapon of choice on long-range attacks during solo missions. "I no longer consider you as my brother after what you did!" and he jumped in the air, throwing the four-star shaped weapon towards his brother with full speed and force. Itachi just looked bored and jumped up, evading the weapon, only to see Sasuke smirk and pull on a string.

Itachi looked behind him to see the large Chinese star coming back towards him. Kisame intervened by stopping the swirling shuriken with his samehada. "Hmm… he takes after you."

"No," Itachi murmured and turned back to Sasuke who now held onto a mini scythe. At the end of the handle was a black chain, attaching the weapon to a kodachi as he positioned himself to attack. "He takes after Shisui…" he could remember the days he spent with his little brother and best friend, and he vaguely recalled Shisui teaching the seven-year old Sasuke the attack he used earlier. _"I guess I'll have to do this quick…" _

He took his hat off and ran towards Sasuke, blocking the kodachi with his kunai. "Is this all you got little brother?" the smirk on the ANBU's face earned a questioning look from Itachi as Sasuke tried to scratch Itachi with the scythe, which was blocked by another kunai. At this, he muttered the words: "Caught you." And Itachi turned when he sensed someone try to stab him with a katana. "Damn, kage bunshin." And he quickly jumped away, causing the Japanese sword to pierce right through the clone Sasuke.

"_He's gotten better, not in the way I expected, but his chakra control is flawless. How did he get this far..?" _he continued to study his little brother, looking for any signs of movements that he could possibly predict. _"He almost had me there…" _he thought, taking a vile from his pocket discreetly. _"I guess I have no choice…"

* * *

_

"Hiyaaa!"

The clouds seemed to have caught her full attention as she blocked out the battle cries Naruto kept yelling whenever he would give an attack to their former teacher, Kakashi, who still read the orange book while fighting against Naruto. She sighed and pulled her knees up to her chest, hugging them closer to her. Unlike most jounins, her sleeves were folded up to the elbow, and her forehead protector remained on top of her head. _"Why am I having a bad feeling..?"_

Her ears picked up the sound of a falcon that cawed, and she raised her head to see the bird flying in circular motions above her. Raising a brow, she got up as the falcon flew down to her raised arm, catching her two companions attention. "What's up Sakura?" the pink haired jounin didn't answer Kakashi and just took out the piece of paper that was attached to the falcon's leg. Opening it, her eyes widened when it came from the Hokage and what the message says. "Sakura..?" Naruto asked, but she dropped the paper and ran towards Konoha's hospital instantly. Kakashi picked up the article and crumpled it soon after. "Naruto, we have to get to the tower, now." And they too, took off.

"What was written there anyway?" the blonde ANBU questioned. Kakashi remained quiet, thinking if he should tell his ex-pupil. When he saw the look on the blonde's eyes, he sighed and spoke. "A team of medical ninjas accompanied by Sasuke's ANBU team found Itachi and Kisame's bodies, they were dead." Blinking, Naruto was about to open his mouth to say "So what" until the next sentence made him freeze. "They also found Sasuke, and he was dying…"

"Then why the hell are we heading to the tower instead of the hospital!"

"It was only Sakura who was ordered to go there, the two of us are called by the Godaime herself."

* * *

She paced around the room, not seeming to believe the reports the doctors sent her. _"This can't be happening…" _she thought, sitting down and wiping the sweat from her brow. She looked up when the door burst open, revealing an angry-looking Naruto and a too-calm Kakashi. "Explain." They said simultaneously. "Good news and bad news…" they nodded, gesturing her to continue. "Good news is, he's still alive." The two gave a sigh of relief and waited for Tsunade to continue. "But the bad news, he is not responding positively to the medicine or drugs injected in his body, therefore, we can't exactly say if he will be alright. The worst possible thing that could happen to him is that he will…" she trailed off, not wanting to continue. 

"Damn it! I told you that sending him alone on that kind of mission is not good! What's worse is he fought with two Akatsuki members! As if Itachi wasn't bad enough!" Kakashi pulled Naruto when the blonde was about to tackle the Hokage. However, he himself can't exactly tell if he can still control the anger welling up inside of him. "I'll have to agree with Naruto Hokage-sama, even if Sasuke is the best so far in the ANBU team, he is still incapable of fighting against two S-class criminal on his own."

Tsunade just smirked. "You're wrong Kakashi." The two looked at her with bewilderment. "Sasuke can fight them on his own, and he surprised me when his team and the medics told me that he actually killed the two. Even if he was dying, I told Sakura to immediately report to the hospital to heal him, and this report just came in." she tossed the folder on her desk, waiting for the two to take it and read the contents. "Now, let me finish my sentence, I trailed off because, I can't seem to bear the fact to loose an ANBU captain like Uchiha, and no, it's not to death. Actually, the worst thing that could happen to him is-"

"Tsunade-sama! What are we going to do about this?" Shizune asked, looking frantic when she entered the office. "About what?" the godaime asked. Her subordinate took a deep breathe in and pointed at the door, where Ton-Ton came in, running and jumping into Shizune's arms yet still continued shaking with fear. "What has gotten into Ton-Ton?" Tsunade asked, standing up. "It's… Sasuke…" Shizune answered, glancing at the door as Sakura came in, and in her arms was…

"A cat?" Kakashi raised his visible brow.

"Sasuke?" Naruto asked in disbelief.

"Both." Sakura answered, looking down at the eight-year old looking Sasuke who had orange ears and tail. Although his ears turned to a cat's, his hands and feet were still human, and so was his body. Over-all, he was in his eight year old self with cat ears and tail, and he was snuggling against Sakura who gave a small smile. "You perverted bastard! What are you doing to Sakura?" Naruto yelled, raising a fist at the neko Sasuke who just glanced at the blonde for a second then turned back to nuzzling Sakura's neck, purring like a kitten would. "Argh! I told you sensei! I told you!" Naruto cried, glaring at Kakashi. "I told you giving him a complete set of Icha Icha Paradise on his eighteenth birthday would turn him into a pervert!"

Sakura bonked Naruto on the head. "Idiot, how can he be a pervert if he has a cat mind?" they all turned to the neko Sasuke who continued to rub his cheek on Sakura's neck. Tsunade cleared her throat to gain everyone's attention, including the half-cat. "This is what I was talking about Kakashi, Naruto." She sighed and sat down. "You see, I heard that the Akatsuki have developed an interest with half-human and half-beast projects. Problem is, we'll never know why because Sasuke is the only one who knows, unfortunately, he can't say anything besides cat language."

"…meow…" the neko said, jumping down from Sakura's arms and sitting like a cat and started licking his right hand. They all suppressed a laugh, not used to seeing the anti-social and cold-hearted Uchiha prodigy acting like a… cat. However, Naruto couldn't help but snigger at his rival/best friend. "You look like an idiot teme!" he grinned, pointing at the cat. Neko Sasuke heard it, causing him to stop licking his hand as he stared at Naruto with narrowed eyes and a vein popping at the side of his head. The blonde idiot snorted when Tsunade tried to warn him. "What could this stupid cat do to me? He's completely harmless!" and he continued to mock neko Sasuke, until…

"Ow! Ah! Stop it! Gah! Teme! Don't!"

Apparently, neko Sasuke thought that three whiskers on Naruto's cheeks weren't enough, so he added a few more on the blonde's face, smirking in satisfaction when the newbie ANBU hid behind Kakashi in fear. Tsunade sighed and pulled onto her hair in frustration. "He has a cat mind, but it doesn't mean that his old Sasuke instincts or habits haven't gone completely. He doesn't exactly recognize all of us, but his Uchiha sense will kick in anytime, anywhere. Now, you may all go, I have to bring this neko back to the hospital for further check-ups. We have to come up with a cure for his full report regarding his mission." Tsunade was about to pick him up when he hissed and glared, causing the Hokage to take a step back.

When she realized what she did, she blushed in embarrassment when Naruto started snickering while the others looked at her with wide eyes. "The great Tsunade-ba-chan is afraid of Sasuke-teme!" Tsunade glared at the blonde. "No, it's just that I'd rather not end up looking like you." She smirked when Naruto stuck his tongue out. "Now then," she bent down to pick the neko up but he only hissed some more and backed away on all fours, stopping when he was cornered. "No escape now Uchiha." Sasuke smirked and pounced on Tsunade's head, then jumped to her desk and sat there, acting innocent when the blonde woman gave a killing aura.

"You annoying little- come here!" and she charged at the neko, but again, he only jumped away and landed beside Kakashi who continued to read his Icha Icha Paradise novel. They heard a crash, seeing Tsunade's desk cracked and papers scattered everywhere. "Damn it! You stupid cat!" a vein popped at the side of neko Sasuke's head as he glared at Tsunade who continued insulting him. Sasuke hissed and threatened to scratch the Hokage when Sakura walked over to him and picked him up, carrying him like a child.

Shizune blinked and saw how the neko Sasuke calmed down and smiled when Sakura took him. At this, an idea clicked into her head. "Tsunade-sama, maybe you can leave him under Sakura's care as a D-rank mission?" all heads turned to her, then to Sakura who blinked. "Hmm… not a bad idea, seeing as you're the only one who he isn't hissing at or running away from, do you accept it?" Sakura looked at all of them then at the neko in her arms who seemed to have dozed off and now rested his head on her chest. She smiled slightly and pulled him closer. "Yes, I accept the mission."

_**To be continued…

* * *

**_

_Next on Neko Sasuke: Chapter 2: Water_

"Sasuke, come on, you have to take a bath!" she tried to bribe the neko with a tomato, but he only remained under the bed, inching further away from her. She sighed and gave up, sitting on the floor crossed-legged and in deep thinking. "Mou, how can I get you to take a bath? You're lucky that I now live alone…" she trailed off, recalling how her mom died from the attack from Sound two years ago. She remembered how Sasuke returned to them after a fight against Orochimaru when he learned that the sannin wasn't exactly planning to help him with revenge at all once he took over the Uchiha's body. Tears fell down from her eyes as she cried silently at the memory. Neko Sasuke heard her sniffles and slowly came out, staring at his new master.

* * *

_A/N: So, what exactly is the Akatsuki's purpose? Actually, are there still Akatsuki members alive out there? Why did Itachi turn Sasuke into a cat? See you in the next chapter! _


	2. Water

**Neko Sasuke**

She sighed and tapped her foot when Sasuke was covered in a lot of dust and entangled with her bed sheets. "What am I going to do with you?" she asked, arms crossed. She still had her jounin uniform on, minus the vest, and her gloves were still present on her hands. Tapping an index finger on her chin, she grinned, causing the neko to tremble upon the look Sakura gave him. "Someone needs a bath."

When he heard the dreaded word, he zoomed pass Sakura, causing the seventeen year old to blink and ran after the fleeing neko. "Get back here Sasuke!" she demanded, her sweet tone long gone, replaced by an aggravated one. "You need a bath damn it!" she yelled, running around the living room and back up at the stairs where the half-cat Uchiha ran to. She stopped, panting for air when the neko hid under her bed, still cowering from her, not minding the tomato she had in her hand that she took from the kitchen while in their little game of tag.

"Sasuke, come on, you have to take a bath!" she tried to bribe the neko with a tomato, but he only remained under the bed, inching further away from her. She sighed and gave up, sitting on the floor crossed-legged and in deep thinking. "Mou, how can I get you to take a bath? You're lucky that I now live alone…" she trailed off, recalling how her mom died from the attack from Sound two years ago. She remembered how Sasuke returned to them after a fight against Orochimaru when he learned that the sannin wasn't exactly planning to help him with revenge at all once he took over the Uchiha's body. Tears fell down from her eyes as she cried silently at the memory. Neko Sasuke heard her sniffles and slowly came out, staring at his new master.

* * *

_**Chapter 2: Water**_

She felt a small hand placed over one of her own. With teary eyes, she glanced at Sasuke who blinked and stared at her with large onyx orbs, his ears twitching slightly while his tail swayed right to left in a slow manner. Sakura just continued to let her tears fall as she stared at the half-cat, her eyes softening upon recalling her crush. "You're probably wondering why I'm crying, huh?" she asked, a slight smile on her lips as her other hand wiped her tears away, only to be replaced by fresh ones.

"If you were in your original self, you'd probably tell me that I'm so pathetic…" she whispered. Neko Sasuke just blinked innocently, not knowing what to do when his master was crying. Relying on instincts, he leaned his nose closer to Sakura's cheek, the jounin completely unsuspecting. Her eyes widened when she felt someone lick her cheek lightly in an affectionate and comforting gesture. She turned her head abruptly to the neko who had a smile on his face, his ears on the side, making him look cuter than ever.

"Sasuke…" she whispered, the cat just tilting its head, the smile not leaving his lips. Sakura only shed more tears, the image of an ANBU Sasuke entering her mind. She found herself pulling neko Sasuke into an embrace, startling the boy a bit as she cried on his shoulder, one of her hands on his spiky hair while the other remained on his back, where the Uchiha fan was imprinted on his blue shirt. Even if he was in his eight year old body, his clothes were of his genin days when he graduated from the academy.

"_Sakura…" She didn't know why he was doing this affectionate gesture, but her inner self told her to just enjoy the moment, because these things never last that long. "Thank you…" he whispered, and a second later, he was gone._

…_gone._

Her arms around him tightened as she recalled the first and last hug Sasuke had ever given her. _"He knew…" _she thought. _"Somehow, he knew that it may be the last time he'll be seeing me…" _her tears continued flowing, confusing the neko who just remained still, letting his master hug him without any complaints. She pulled away, looking at him as he looked back with the same guiltless eyes.

The Konoha headband was around his head, courtesy of Tsunade, since she didn't want other people to think that he came from another village, not that they would question the neko's appearance but you can never be too sure. "Come on." She whispered, carrying him in her arms like a mother would to her child. Sasuke looked up at Sakura's smiling face, wondering what had cause the sudden mood change. "Thanks for the sweet gesture Sasuke." She said, giving the neko a light kiss on top of his head, earning a purr from him when he snuggled closer to the pink-haired kunoichi.

"Let's go buy you some…" she looked around her room, seeing her sheets scattered. With a sweat drop, she laughed a bit. "Items…" she murmured, and then did a hand seal, teleporting the two of them out of the Haruno household and out into the open street of Konoha. "So, what should we get you first..?" she asked herself, looking around the busy marketplace of the village, noting how the neko snuggled closer when he sensed the ogling eyes of the young women of Konoha.

"Eh? What's wrong?" she asked, looking down at her… pet. Sasuke just buried his face on the crook of her neck, giving a soft meow as she giggled. "Aw, you're so cute…" she commented, looking up when she heard the chattering of three other kunoichi that she's familiar with. "Hey Ino, Ten-Ten and Hinata!"

The three girls looked up and greeted Sakura, then turned their attention to the bundle in her arms. "Is that..?" Tan-Ten asked, raising a brow. Sakura laughed. "I guess the news is out." she walked closer to them, stopping a good four feet away from them when she felt Sasuke tremble a bit. "I guess he still has Sasuke instincts." Ino pointed, seeing how the neko shook. "He still has the fear of getting close to girls." She smirked at her best friend/rival. "Maybe he doesn't see you as a girl, eh Sakura?"

A vein popped at the side of her head. "At least he thinks I'm not a boar like you Ino!" the blonde blinked and glared at Team 7's cherry blossom. "Excuse me, I have a perfect figure, and Sai thinks I'm beautiful, unlike you," she gave a sly smile. "Ugly hag." If it weren't for Sasuke in her arms, she would've punched her best friend right now. "I-Ino, stop that…" Hinata whispered, tugging on the blonde's top as her gaze landed on the neko Sasuke. "You're making Sasuke angry…"

The three girls looked at Hinata, then at Sasuke who had the Uchiha glare plastered on his eyes, directly looking at Ino as if she was a threat to his master. "Oh please, Sasuke would never get mad at someone like me," she huffed, smiling flirtatiously at the neko. "Right Sasuke?" she asked, walking closer and reaching out to pat him on the head but he hissed and jumped from Sakura's arms, arching his back like a cat that was threatened. Ino took a few steps away, forcing a twitching smile at the neko. "S-Sakura, what's with him? What did you feed him?"

Sakura only giggled and knelt down beside her pet, scratching his ear as the neko calmed down and leaned his head to where Sakura's hand was, enjoying the sensation he was feeling, purring in delight. "He's an anti-Ino type of neko." She answered, wrapping her arms around the Uchiha and carrying him again like a baby. Ten-Ten laughed at Ino's facial expression, comparing it to a steaming hot wild boar who was red in the face. "Chill Ino, I can't argue with the neko on that." The weapon mistress said, attempting to pat Sasuke on the head, which surprisingly, he didn't hiss at, sensing no danger from Ten-Ten.

"I guess he's a pro-Ten-Ten." Hinata observed, her long hair swaying wit the wind. Sakura turned to Naruto's girlfriend and smiled. "Want to see if he's a pro-Hinata?" The female Hyuuga smiled and scratched one of Sasuke's ears. He seemed to enjoy it as much as Sakura's soothing touch, but he chose the latter than the former. "Well then, I guess he is a pro-Hinata." She grinned at the still flushed Ino. "We have to go now, I still need to find this little guy some toys to mess with instead of my bed sheets." She cuddled the neko, causing it to squirm. _"I guess he's ticklish like the old Sasuke…" _and she bid her friends goodbye.

* * *

"Well, you only listen to me…" she murmured, grinning. "It's a good thing Ino didn't hear me whisper to you to hiss at her." She continued to walk around the marketplace, trying hard to avoid some of the crowded places since most men there would subtly brush their fingers on her fully developed rear. Even if the neko in her arms was sensitive to the looks men would give her, she still figured that his ninja instincts aren't as accurate as the original Sasuke's.

"I don't know what to buy you…" she whispered, staring at the small balls in a box, then to a few baby toys that were soft, and some were even chew toys. "Eh, you're not a dog…" she sighed, her eyes catching a box of yarns displayed on one stall, ready to be bought one by one, if not the whole set. "I guess one of those will do…" she smiled at the neko who eyed one ball of yarn that was the color of red. His eyes told her that he was craving to play with it. Giggling, she took the yarn and paid for it, then went to the next stall.

Sakura looked at Sasuke who was holding onto the red yarn, a cute smile on his eight-year old face. She then stopped at one store, wherein it sold a lot of pet accessories. "You won't be needing a collar, nor a dish bowl, but you do need your own bed sheet so you can stop playing with mine." She said, giving a mocking glare at the neko who seemed to smile sheepishly and turned his attention back at the yarn in his hands. "Hmm..." she picked up one blanket that had patterns of orange kittens and was at the color of pale blue. Smiling, she got it and walked over to the counter, buying the cloth for the neko.

"Now all we need to do is buy some groceries, do you think you can walk from here on?" she asked, receiving a nod from the neko as she put him down on his two feet, one hand holding his while the other held onto the plastic bag which contained the blanket. "Alright, just let me know if you want anything in the market okay?" he gave a nod, agreeing to her like an obedient child. She smiled at him. "Good boy." And entered the store.

She was doing fine with the shopping, since Sasuke followed her around and didn't even called her attention if ever he wanted something. He just simply remained quiet and stuck to her like glue. "You want some tomatoes Sasuke?" she asked sweetly. He looked up at her with a small smile and a short nod, and she took some of the red fruit and placed them in her basket. "There we go, now to pay for them." She led him to the counter, paid the items and got the two bags in her hands. When she stepped out of the door though…

"Why, if it isn't the lovely blossom of the spring! Haruno Sakura!"

She twitched while Sasuke had his ears did the same action, blinking and looking up innocently at the man in green spandex and a jounin vest to go with it. "H-Hi Lee…" Sakura said, her lips having a forced smile. Lee grinned at her, his perfect rows of sharp, white teeth shining with the sun's rays. "So, what are you doing on this fine day?" he asked. "Oh, I just bought some stuffs." She answered politely. "Well, we'll be going now." She glanced down at Sasuke who now had his yarn on the ground while he was on all fours, crouching low to be in eye level with the red ball of string.

"No, Sasuke! You're going to get dirtier!" she cried out, dropping her bags and picking the half-cat up. Lee looked at the neko then back at Sakura, then to the groceries and then back at Sakura. A light bulb popped on the top of his head as he smiled once more. "Why don't I carry your bags for you and walk you home while you carry your… cat on the way back?" She looked up at Lee and smiled, a slight blush across her cheeks. "Not a bad idea Lee, thank you." He smiled, his face turning red from her beauty and the radiance she gave off. "My pleasure!" and he happily carried the bags, missing the annoyed look Sasuke gave him.

Sakura did notice it though, and she giggled inwardly at the thought of a jealous Sasuke. _"Feh, like that'll happen!"_ she shook her head an picked the neko up, feeling him cuddle closer and having a satisfying smile on his face, the yarn still on his hands. _"Once we get home, you're going to take a bath!" _she concluded, walking side by side with Lee who had her groceries.

"_So far, I've come to the conclusion that Sasuke does not like _some _girls still. He, up until now, is not friendly with everyone, he only listens to me, he's kind of jealous when someone else from the male species gets my attention… and… he hates water…"

* * *

_

"We're here Sakura!" Lee declared cheerfully, his smile still beaming at her. She gave a small one of her own and took her house key from her pocket, then unlocked the door and pushed it open, stopping on her porch and facing the male jounin who carried her bags. "Thanks again Lee." She said, a wider smile spreading on her lips, causing the neko in her arms to look away in annoyance, a very grumpy look on his face. "It was no trouble at all Sakura!" he said, flashing his good guy pose as he leaned a bit closer to her cheek. The female jounin just sighed inwardly and closed her eyes, letting his lips go nearer to her cheek, not knowing that a certain neko was not liking the scene.

"_This guy is so going to get it…" _the neko thought, glaring at Lee as he felt Sakura's arms on him loosened. With an Uchiha smirk forming on his lips, he pounced on Lee by surprise and started scratching the taijutsu master's face, the cries of the Gai-look-a-like ringing like music to his ears. "Sasuke, stop that!" Sakura scolded, pulling the cat away as the neko continued to glare at Lee, his arms hanging loosely over Sakura's arms that were secured around his body. "I'm so sorry Lee! Sasuke just tends to get envious when I give my attention to someone else!" she reasoned, bowing down apologetically at Lee who just backed away from the half-cat, nodding at Sakura, indicating that it was nothing. "Again, I'm so sorry…" and he left, leaving Sakura to glare at her cat who seemed to look so innocent with his ears bent sideways, eyes blinking and a cute clueless facial expression on his face.

"You are so…" she trailed off, not having enough guts to get mad at the way the neko Sasuke looked at her. She sighed and smiled a bit, hugging the neko closer to her and snuggling her cheek with his. "Aw, how can I get mad at you? You're too cute!" she squealed, causing the neko to smile brightly. "Come on, let's get these stuffs inside…" she put him down inside the house and carried her bags in as well.

She fixed everything and went up the stairs, along with Sasuke's newly bought blanket and yarn. He trudged up the steps, following her until she reached her room, where she lay the small blanket on her bed, folding it neatly. Next, she took a small mattress that she bought as well and set it near her bed, placing the blanket on top of it, along with a small pillow and the ball of red yarn.

Sasuke watched her in amusement while he sat on the floor, listening to her singing. _"Damn, she has a good voice…" _he thought. The people around him are not ware of it, but his eighteen year old self often surfaces in the neko's mind, he still has no control of his body, since it was still acting like a cat. Most of the time, he just doesn't think at all.

"There, all done!" she said, eyeing her work in fixing her bed and Sasuke's. "Okay, if you're planning to sleep on your new bed sheet, you'll have to take a bath! Otherwise, it's outside!" she threatened, causing the cat to slump a bit in fear. She then giggled and coaxed him to come with a tomato. Sasuke eyed the red fruit and slowly approached her. Once he was within the range of her trap, she grabbed him and walked inside the bathroom. Sasuke's instincts told him that this was not good, so he began to struggle from her vice-like grip, but it was no use.

When Sakura closed the door with a push of her foot, he knew there was no escaping, he knew that it was bath time for him. _"Crap." _And he felt the lukewarm water of the tub touch his bare skin. His spiked up hair slightly flat, but since his raven locks was, and still is, naturally spiky, it didn't fall behind his ears nor did it completely flattened. He let out a small, midget mew as Sakura removed her jounin gloves and knelt down on the marbled floor, getting a face towel and wiping the half-cat's face.

"You'll get used to this," she said. "Eventually…" Sasuke just pouted at her and splashed water at her face, ginning at her surprised expression. She laughed, and he was satisfied with that. "You are so silly!" Sakura's smile softened and she took a bottle of shampoo and a bar of soap and began to bathe the neko who finally calmed down at her touch, relaxing at the aroma the soap had to offer, and liking the touch and massage on his scalp that she gave. He purred in delight, and that brought another smile from the pink-haired kunoichi.

* * *

"There! Now you smell nicer than before!" she exclaimed, cuddling the neko in her arms on her bed. He was dressed up in a blue long sleeved button-up shirt, and blue pajama pants. "Well, let' get some shut eyes shall we?" she asked, earning a nod from him as she tucked him in like a child, humming a tune and covering his body with the new blanket she bought for him. "Good night Sasuke," she whispered when he closed his eyes and snuggled on his pillow. She gave a light feathery kiss on his forehead after removing the Konoha head gear that wrapped around his forehead. She continued to brush his bangs away and kept humming a lullaby to him until he was asleep. "Sweet dreams…" and she too, lay down in her own bed and fell asleep.

Sasuke listened to her even breathing and opened his eyes, sitting up and eyeing his owner. Blinking, he got out of bed and took his blanket with the use of his mouth, climbed on her bed and waited for a while, making sure that she was in a deep sleep. Afterwards, he placed the blanket down and leaned closer to her face, giving a light, affectionate lick before sneaking in between her arms and making himself comfortable beside her. He then closed his eyes and let sleep take him over, feeling how her arms tightened around him, her nose burying on his raven hair. _"Sasuke-kun…" _she thought, missing his presence once more.

"_Sasuke didn't like water as much as his neko version hates it… but… he never did like being hugged… so why now..? Is there so much of a difference and similarity between them?" _she slowly opened her eyes and looked at the sleeping figure beside her. "First was the demand of attention… now… affection…"

_**To be continued…

* * *

**_

_Next on Neko Sasuke: Chapter 3: Plush Toys and more  
_

She blinked at the scene before her. There was Sasuke, his blanket covering half of his body as he remained seated on the carpeted floor. The red ball of yarn was a few feet away from him, and what caught her attention was the thing that was hanging from his mouth. "Sasuke, drop that now!"

* * *

_A/N: The original chapter title for this was supposed to be "attention" or "affection" but I changed it to water to not spoil the chapter. I finished this as fast as I could because next week will be our periodical exams, which means no computer for me for one week! Anyway, thank you all so much for reviewing and encouraging me to update this! Also, I have a little sketch of the little preview above this. I'll try to post it in deviantArt soon and I'll let you know if I did! Care to take a guess as to what is hanging from neko Sasuke's mouth? _


	3. Plush Toys and more

_A/N: As mentioned in my profile, my files got deleted, thus the long delay. **Hopefully**, Yakuza II will be updated this weekend. Damn, the **page breaker won't work**! FUCK!  
_

**Neko Sasuke**

"Damn! I'm gonna be late!" Sakura cried out, not minding the neko that slept on her bed as she ran around the room while putting on her jounin clothes. Sasuke's ears twitched from the noise that she was making that he slowly raised his head to look at her make a fool out of herself in front of him. _"Is she always like this?" _thought his eighteen year old self, absent-mindedly raising a brow. "Crap!" she yelled and went out of the room, rushing down the stairs and comletely forgetting to bid him goodbye or even greet a good morning.

He got out of bed and jumped on the window pane, watching as her figure dashed towards Konoha's hospital. With a shake of his head, he climbed down the stairs and sat in front of the entrance of the Haruno household, waiting for her to get back and say how stupid she is for forgetting that she has no work besides the D-rank mission.

Just as he suspected, the front door opened and in came a panting Sakura. He suppresed the urge to smirk, since cats don't smirk at all, and slowly, his neko self came back to take control of his eight-year old body. "Grr..! I'm so stupid! I can't believe I forgot that the Hokage cancelled my shifts!" she turned to the neko whol blinked and tilted his head at her. "Don't you dare mock me Sasuke..." she said, glaring. She could actually imagine his ANBU self smirking and shaking his head at her, feeling smug about her situation. A frown set upon her lips when her mind started to think about him again, and she just can't help but somehow wish that the eighteen year old ANBU captain come back. Even if she does love the little neko Sasuke, she still misses the other one.

_**Chapter 3: Plush Toys and more**_

Sakura watched as he ate the bowl of cereal with a spoon, an event flashing back to her mind when she remembered her seventeenth birthday this year. A small smile formed on her lips when she marked that day the best birthday she ever had.

**_Flashback:_**

"Another bowl of rice please!" Naruto and Kakashi requested, a grin forming on their faces. Sakura giggled and took their now empty bowls and began filling it up. Her sensei didn't bother to hide his face to his former team anymore so they could now see him without the mask. Although there was no beaver tooth or fish lips, he did have a good-looking face, but of course, nothing could replace her Sasuke. _"Hell Yeah!"_ agrees her inner self. Speaking of Sasuke, he still isn't here, and she's beginning to think that he forgot.

Kakashi noticed the sad look on her face and he too, frowned at this, followed by Naruto. "You're thinking about Sasuke, right?" her ex-sensei asked. She blinked and forced a smile. "I'm just worried about him. I mean, Tsunade-shishou knew that it'll be my birthday three days later on the day she gave Sasuke the A-rank mission. Even if she told me that he promised to be back in time for this day, I still can't help but feel that somethin g bad happened to him..."

Naruto racked his brain for some answers to comfort his friend, and he grinned when he thought up of the perfect answer to cheer her up. "Sasuke's never broken a promise before, and if he says he'll be back in time, he will. Besides that, that guy is too stubborn to even die! At least, that's what I heard from his team. Even if he was the most number of injuries, be it fatal or not, he'd still ask their medic to treat the others first before him. No wonder they remain loyal to him. Plus," his grin widened and turned sly. "He might be planning a surprise for you..."

Sakura blushed as a million of ideas popped into her head. _"Maybe he's going to confess his undying love! Or maybe... maybe... he's going to ask me to marry him or... Kya! Too much!" _her hands cupped her reddening face and she tried to push down her excitement. Naruto praised himself for the job well done of boosting her spirits.

Time passed and the day was coming to an end. Sakura waved goodbye to Naruto and Kakashi until they were out of sight. With a depressed sigh, she went back inside and looked at the clock, seeing that it was only two minutes left till the day is over. _"He's not coming after all..." _she thought grimly, switching off the lights and walked over to the stairs. When she was on the first step, someone knocked at her door, and it was a pretty loud and rushed knock.

Sighing, she opened the door and was surprised when a bunch of flowers were directly in front of her face. She took the boquet and was shocked to see Sasuke standing there, bandages messily and amateurishly wrapped around his wounds. "S-Sasuke..?" his brows knitted at this. "That's it?" he asked. "I rushed all the way from the Wind country, didn't bother to have the medic in my team check or wrap my wounds properly, headed straight to the flower shop as soon as I set foot in this village, demanded your best friend to let me in and purchase some flowers for you and all i get from you is a shocked expression?" he took a deep breathe in for saying all of those words so fast, afterwards, he looked away, blushed and mumbled a 'happy birthday' to her.

Sakura was moved with tears, and she tackled him to a hug without hesitating, not minding that he didn't return the embrace. At least he didn't push her away right? Next, she heard his stomach grumble and she giggled, inviting him in for... well, dinner.

_**End Flashback**_

She was snapped away from her thoughts when neko Sasuke had tugged on her shirt, getting her back to earth and out of cloud nine. Sakura smiled at him and got up. "You wanna go to the park?" The neko nodded and quickly jumped down from his seat and headed towards the living room. Sakura giggled and washed the dishes first before following Sasuke and then stopping all of a sudden.

She blinked at the scene before her. There was Sasuke, his blanket covering half of his body as he remained seated on the carpeted floor. The red ball of yarn was a few feet away from him, and what caught her attention was the thing that was hanging from his mouth. "Sasuke, drop that now!"

The neko did and crouched low, attempting to pick up the thing again but feared that Sakura might yell again. The jounin looked at him and bent down on one knee, picking up her plushie self from the floor as she stared at it, reminiscing some more.

_**Flashback**_

"Give it back!" she yelled, raising her hand to snatch her plushie Sasuke away from the ANBU Sasuke's hand but he only raised it higher and continued staring at it. "Sasuke! Give it!" her face was extremely red this time. She never expected him to drop by this early for a last minute check-up before he starts his week long mission. A smirk was soon seen on his lips as he slowly turned to her with a raised brow. "Since when?" he asked, causing her to stop and stare at him, not believing that he was interested to know. "T-the day we became a team..." she whispered audibly, looking away and started to play with her long pink hair.

"I see..." he said, looking back at his toy self and smiling a bit. "I didn't know you were into black magic."

"N-NO! You got it all wrong! I don't plan to voodoo you or- gah!"

He laugehd a bit and shook his head. "Just kidding Sakura, I don't believe in any of those things anyway." he shrugged and tossed the plushie to her which she quickly caught. Sasuke gave her a questioning look at this and she blushed and looked down at the doll. "I... well... it took me days to finish this... unlike Naruto, Kakashi and my own plush, I just can't seem to... well... finish you in one day..."

"Why? Is it that hard?"

"No, it's not that..." her voice seemed to go softer as each second passed. "I... wanted yours to look... perfect..."

To the untrained ear, her words would've never been heard, but Sasuke had heard it clearly, and he couldn't help but smile a bit. He knew that her love slash crush for him hasn't died down. not even a bit, and it proved her loyalty to him, not that they were in an intimate relationship. He just thinks that he's still unsure whether he likes her too or not. Still, he would do anything to keep her safe now that he's back in their lives, particularly, hers. "Thanks." he whispered and when she looked up, he wasn't there anymore. "Sasuke..." she hesitated at first but continued. "...kun." and her hold on the plush tightened, as if she didn't want to ever let it go.

Sighing, she turned to the couch to pick up the remaining team 7 plush toys, only to find one missing. "Eh? Where's plushie Sakura?" she searched the whole room, panicking. Those toys meant a lot to her and loosing one of them is like loosing someone she cares for. "Oh no!"

There was a knock on the door and she immediately ran to it, hoping that it was Sasuke so that she could ask him if he saw her plushie self. "Sa-" nope, it was Naruto, and he had a grin. "Hey Sakura! I bumped into Sasuke a while ago and he told me to give you this!" he brought out a wrapped parcel, only it was shaped like a katana, and she took it, feeling the thing. "Um..." Naruto chuckled. "He forgot to drop it off earlier since he was running late to meet with his team. Well, my work here is done! See 'ya! Hinata's still waiting for me at Ichiraku's!" and with a poof, he disappeared.

Sakura sighed and closed the front door, then started unwrapping the object. It was a katana, as she guessed, but her eyes widened when she saw the Uchiha fan charm dangling from a chain attached to the handle's end. "S-Sasuke..." she whispered, and picked up a folded note that fell from the thing. She nearly cried upon reading his letter.

_Hey Sakura,_

_This was supposed to be my gift to you on your birthday last week but it wasn't done, so I had to resort to flowers. Cliche' huh? Well, I coudn't think of any substitute. You're probably wondering why my clan's insignia is there. It's because you deserve it. Only my friends who are special and precious to me are worthy of it, and just to keep you smiling, you're the first person I've ever given a gift that has... well, sentimental value? I really need to work on these things. Anyway, since Kakashi and Naruto's birthday aren't coming up yet, you get to be the first. Well, belated happy birthday! Use this in training and to protect yourself whenever no one is around to help you._

_-Sasuke_

_PS. Wrote this when I bumped into the dobe. I have your Sakura plushie. Im borrowing it for a while. I need something that would give me motivation to come back home alive. See you in a week then._

She slowly fell to her knees and let the tears flow down freely, a smile on her lips and the katana and Sasuke plushie held close to her body.

Elsewhere, Sasuke stopped walking and turned his head back at the gates of Konoha, a small smile on his lips before he hid his face with his ANBU mask, his team waiting for him a few feet ahead as a Sakura plushie was safely packed into his bag.

**_End Flashback_**

"Meow..." Sakura blinked and felt some tears roll down her cheeks, as well as neko Sasuke's hand placed on top of hers. She turned to him who had a worried look on his face, and she returned it with a smile of her own and pulled him into an embrace. _"Sasuke-kun..." _she thought, missing his presence.

**_Park_**

"Hey Sakura!"

She looked up and saw her best friend walking towards her with a fluffy white Persian cat in her arms. "hey Ino, who this little cutie?" she asked, smiling at the pedigree cat that continued to hold its head high, feeling high and mighty. The blonde jounin smiled and sat down beside her pink haired friend. "Oh, it's my new pet. Shikamaru, Chouji and Asuma-sensei said that it was a good birthday gift for me." Sakura raised a brow. "Isn't your birthday two weeks from now?" Ino laughed. "They forgot, but I couldn't just get mad at them when they threw a surrise party for me at the barbeque restaurant. Plus, they were really excited about it, so i didn;t have the ehart to get mad." she noticed neko Sasuke picking up a fallen twig with fully bloomed cherry petals on it and ran towards them, hopping onto the empty space next to Sakura and tugged at her jounin sleeves.

"..?" Sakura turned to her other side and blushed a bit when the neko had the twig of cherry blossoms on his mouth, a happy expression on his face and he was giving it to her! Her lips tugged upwards and she took it from him, giving him a kiss on the nose as a sign of grattitude. The neko purred when she scratched his head and the back of his ears, then staretd nuzzling against her. "Hehe, you're so affectionate!" Sakura exclaimed, petting the half-cat. "Mou, I'm jealous, my cat isn't like him, she's more likely to get my attention when she needs or wants something." the two girls looked at Ino's cat, only to see it looking at Sasuke who continued playing with one of Sakura's hands.

"I think your cat likes... mine..." Sakura said, a frown slowly forming on her face as inner Sakura cursed the Persian ball of fluff. Ino sweat dropped at this. "Weird..." she muttered, her brows furrowed when her cat hopped off of her lap and approached the male half cat who seemed oblivious to ehr presence and only continued demanding Sakura's attention.

"Mew..." it purred, causing Sasuke to twitch his ears and sit up, turning to the white neko that soon began to nuzzle him with its cheek. He tried to dodge but the female cat seemed to only catch him again. "Hey! Don;t use my lap as a flirting platform!" Sakura yelled, annoyed at how Sasuke didn't pull away. She got up, causing the two neko to fall on the ground, the female on top of him while he was on his back, hsi eyes not leaving Sakura's fuming ones. "I'm going home." she said icily, walkign away, not bothering to call Sasuke. Ino laughed. "Come on Sakura! Don't be jealous of my cat! It's not like Sasuke's going to end up with her or anything!"

_"Jealous?" _Sasuke tilted his head to the side a bit as his mistress was walking further and further away. He quickly got up and ignored the Persian cat, then started running after Sakura. _"Why would she be jealous?" _he thought, managing to catch up with her and biting onto her jounin pants to call her attention. She stopped and looked down, a glare on her face as he winced and lowered his ears, slumpign his shoulders and boring a pleading look. Her gaze on him softened and she sighed, bending down to invite him into her arms.

He lit up at this and jumped onto her, rubbing hi cheek on her neck as she giggled from his tickling spiked-up hair. "Like I said before, there is really no way I can stay mad at you." she whispered, getting up witht he neko still in her arms. "Come on, let's go for some ice cream!"

**_Hokage Tower_**

Tsunade sighed for the sixth time that day. It's been how many weeks since Sasuke turned to a half-cat and still no sign or report of any cures. "I'm really sorry about this Sakura, I know how much you miss him and all, but..." she turned to the sleeping neko on the floor and sighed. "We still have no clue how to turn him back to human." Sakur nodded at this and glanced at Sasuke. "It's okay Tsunade-shishou, I do miss Sasuke but I can't dio anything but wait for a cure and hope he'll turn back." she forced a smile at this.

"What about you Naruto? Kakashi?"

The addressed two turned to the neko and then back at Tsunade. "To be honest, I do miss the bastard even if he annoys me to no end." Kakashi coughed at this, earning a glare from the blonde. "And all I have to say is, WHAT THE HELL IS TAKING THOSE DAMN DOCTORS SO LONG!" The three shook their heads when neko Sasuke awoke abruptly and started to attack Naruto for the loud wake-up call. Kakashi cleared his throat and pocketed his book. "Same as Naruto." he answered. "By the way, whatever happened to Itachi and Kisame's bodies?"

"Kisame's body has been taken care of a hunter nin. As for Itachi..." she trailed off, causing the four people, one of them being a half-cat, tot urn to her. "Well, we can't seem to dispose or dissect or even do anything to it. We supposed that perhaps, Sasuke had done soemthing or Itachi did a jutsu to prevent his corpse from disappearing from this world for good." she shrugged. "These are only assumptions though, which is why I told scientists and doctors to keep working on a cure for Sasuke."

"Could the cure have something to do with Itachi?" Sakura asked.

Tsuande shook her head. "We've tried, but nothing takes effect, except for Sasuke suddenly activating his sharingan, which, based from his team and yours, only appears when threatened or feel the need of hate or anger. Perhaps he reacts negatively to Itachi even when in his cat state."

"So what could be the cure?" Naruto asked, successfully keeping the neko from scratching him. "I have no idea..." Tsunade answered, looking at Sasuke who ran back to Sakura's side. "As of now, all we can really do is wait."

**_Sakura's bedroom_**

She tossed and turned in her sleep, her borws furrowed and her forehead glistening with sweat. The neko beside her tried to wake her up from her nightmare but she just wouldn't open her eyes. "Sasuke..." she said in her sleep, causing the neko to think. _"Why is she dreaming about me?" _with a determined look, neko Sasuke lowered his head to her ear and nibbled on it, causing her to sit up abruptly and pant.

Sasukeblinked and looked at her as she tried to recollect her thoughts. _"Sasuke... what is he... trying to tell me in... my dreams..?" _

_**To be continued...**_

_Next on Neko Sasuke: Chapter 4: Getting Close_

What she was seeing before her couldn't be exactly happening. There was no way thios could happen, especially since Itachi was dead, and that Sasuke is currently a cat. She looked at the older Uchiha's smirking face, then to the younger one's look of hatred and anger. "How foolsih of you to attack the two of us on your own," Itachi said, approaching his little brother who was on his knees, holding onto his katana for support, blood all around his face, hair and uniform. "You're actually wishing to see death."

_A/N: Does the preview interest you? He he. By the way, this story will in end in Chapter 5 or 6. _


	4. Getting Close

_**A/N: Hello readers! Sorry for the delay! Please check my poll section on my profile! I need votes! Tell me in your reviews or send me a message!**_

* * *

**Neko Sasuke**

The moon was round and red, and Sakura couldn't help but wonder what she was doing here in the middle of the night, in a place that she assumed was deserted. _"Where am I?" _she thought, starting to walk and look around.

Broken windows, cracked wooden doors, bloody walls and empty houses were what surrounded her, and when she caught sight of something, her feet stopped and she slowly turned her head to see the emblem imprinted on the wall, a kunai pinned on the middle of it, and dried blood smeared most of the symbol. Her eyes widened and she trembled, finally knowing where she was. _"The Uchiha district…" _

She didn't know why her feet suddenly broke out into a sprint, then to a quick run as she turned every corner, as if she memorized every street there is. She's never been here before, thinking that it would be an intrusion of privacy and disturbance to the dead if she were to trespass in this part of the village. However, she just let her feet keep running, taking her to where she doesn't know.

"_Why am I having a bad feeling?" _she asked herself, slowing down upon seeing two figures engaged in a fight up ahead. "S-Sasuke..?"

* * *

_**Chapter 4: Getting Close**_

What she was seeing before her couldn't be exactly happening. There was no way this could happen, especially since Itachi was dead, and that Sasuke is currently a cat. She looked at the older Uchiha's smirking face, then to the younger one's look of hatred and anger. "How foolish of you to attack the two of us on your own," Itachi said, approaching his little brother who was on his knees, holding onto his katana for support, blood all around his face, hair and uniform. "You're actually wishing to see death."

"No…" she whispered, then took a few steps forward, turning it to a run towards the two brothers. "NO!"

She sat up abruptly, panting and sweating as the neko on her bed looked at her with sleepy eyes. Sakura placed a hand on her forehead and recalled the nightmare she just had. _"Itachi… he was going to kill Sasuke…" _her eyes turned to the small hand that rested on her other hand, seeing Sasuke with a worried look plastered on his face. She forced a small smile and pulled the neko to a hug. "Don't worry, I just had a bad dream, you can go back to sleep now." She whispered, letting the neko use her lap as a pillow as he curled up into a ball and slept once more.

Her smile soon faded as she remembered the dream. Itachi was close to killing him back there, but she didn't understand why she was having this dream. _"I guess I better take a closer look at Itachi's body tomorrow." _She said, eyes narrowed as she continued petting Sasuke's hair.

* * *

Sakura stood at the front of the closed door, Sasuke in her arms and staring curiously at the entry of a room. With a deep breathe in, Sakura turned the knob and stepped inside, waiting for any reaction from the neko in her arms. When nothing happened, she walked in further and closed the door behind her. Next, she took a few steps forward, approaching the lifeless body that lay on the bed. _"That's weird, he isn't rotting or decaying, nor does the corpse emit a bad odor." _Her brows creased at this when she was only two steps away from the body. 

Neko Sasuke saw Itachi's face and his onyx orbs immediately turned red as he struggled from Sakura's grip, causing her to tighten her hold on him. "Sasuke, no, cut it out!" she yelled, but he managed to break free from her grip and jumped onto the floor with an attacking stance directed at Itachi. His tail was waving from right to left and was raised, his ears pushed back and his glare intensifying further. Sakura studied his attack form, even though it was pretty much of a cat's, she concluded that even the half cat had negative reactions upon seeing Itachi. What startled her though, was when Sasuke suddenly pounced on Itachi's body.

"Sasuke!" she yelled, rushing over to pull the cat away, only to be suddenly thrown back by an unknown force. Her eyes widened as she sat up and looked at the two, Sasuke still glaring at Itachi's supposedly color-drained face. _"He's… no longer pale…" _she thought, walking cautiously near the body, feeling fear take over when the akatsuki member's chest rose and fell at an even pace. _"What the hell?" _she stretched out her arms and grabbed Sasuke, pulling him away from Itachi as she quickly stepped out of the room and locked it, earning questioning looks from doctors who passed by. "Get me an ANBU team to guard this room, now." She ordered, her brows sweating as she tried to calm down.

* * *

Tsunade shook upon receiving the report that she just got from the hospital. "Is this true..?" she asked with a shaky voice. The ANBU in front of her nodded and removed his mask to reveal the eyes of a Hyuuga. "I'm afraid so, Hokage-sama, the moment that Sasuke made contact with Itachi, the akatsuki's body suddenly-" he was cut off when the door opened as in came Naruto and Kakashi who had looks of disbelief written all over their faces. "Are the rumors about Itachi coming back to life true?" Naruto asked, Kakashi trying to remain calm after hearing from villagers about the news. 

"I can't believe how news spread like wild fire here…" Tsunade murmured. "Yes, it's true. Maybe Itachi really did do a jutsu that caused his body to be preserved until he had physical contact with Sasuke once more." She sighed deeply and massaged her temples. "How, why or what, I'm not sure. All I know is that we have got to get Sasuke back to his original form, now."

"How can we?" Naruto asked with a frantic voice. "We absolutely have no idea or any clue that could help us bring him back!" The Hokage stood up immediately and slammed her hands on her desk, causing the wooden table to have cracks. "You're his best friend! Do anything that could possibly be close to getting him back! Do something what a ninja must do!"

"Like something out of the ordinary?" Kakashi asked, hoping that his suggestion may help. Tsunade gave a short nod. "I appoint his former sensei and teammates to do this job ASAP!" then she faced Neji. "And I personally request and assign your ANBU team to guard that room."

* * *

Sakura paced in her living room, clearly nervous of what will happen. _"Maybe there's a reason why I'm having these weird dreams. Maybe once Itachi awakens, Sasuke will turn back to human and… be… killed…" _she stopped and shook her head, dismissing the negative thought. "No," she whispered and glanced at the neko Sasuke who sat by the window and was glaring outside, at the direction of the hospital. _"I won't let that happen." _

A knock on the door disrupted her thoughts and she headed over to it to answer it. Once she opened it, Naruto and Kakashi came waltzing inside and slamming the door behind them, causing the female jounin to jump in surprise. The neko didn't bother though, since he didn't feel any threat, but just continued glaring outside, sharingan still activated.

"What are you two doing here?" She asked as they stared at Sasuke. "We have a mission, and that's to figure out a way to turn Sasuke back to human." Kakashi answered, turning to her.

"Why?"

"Itachi might wake up anytime, and if that happens, he'll come looking for Sasuke most probably, and in the worst case scenario, kill him." Kakashi said, missing the look Sakura threw him. "Also, Sasuke could be the only one who can actually kill Itachi."

"But how did he come back to life in the first place? Sasuke already killed him before, right?"

Naruto sighed in frustration as Kakashi analyzed everything before answering. "It would seem that Sasuke was successful in killing Kisame, but was turned to a cat before he even got the chance to eliminate Itachi completely." Naruto and Sakura raised a brow at this. "If you were unaware of it Sakura, some of the doctors took a blood sample from Sasuke when he was rushed to the hospital. They said that he was injected by some sort of fluid, and they have yet to discover what the cause is, until he turned to a cat, now they're trying to whip up a cure or antidote from it, but they keep failing."

"So what can we do?" the blonde asked, looking at Sasuke's direction. "And why is he over there?" Sakura sighed and explained the whole incident that happened earlier in the hospital.

* * *

"Damn it! That's the last time I'm suggesting an idea!" Naruto cried after Sakura bandaged his arm. "Well, it's your fault for pissing him off like that." She defended, glancing at Sasuke who still glared outside the window. "So far, we've tried telling him about his past, tomatoes, pictures of his clan… what else haven't we tried?" Sakura asked, finishing her job in bandaging Naruto's arm. 

"I know." Kakashi grinned and held up three volumes of Icha Icha Paradise. "Oh Sasuke…"

The neko twitched its ears and slowly turned to Kakashi, blinking at the bright orange books on the jounin's hand. "Aren't these yours?" he asked, earning a raised brow from Sasuke. With the use of his other hand, Kakashi took out a lighter and threatened to burn the books. Sasuke stared for a while, then turned back to the window as if nothing was happening. The rest of team seven sweat dropped at the half-cat's behavior.

"Sensei, he's not _that _addicted or perverted. Unlike you…" muttered Sakura. She walked over to the neko and wrapped her arms around his waist, carrying him as he raised his head and gave her an innocent and confused look. She gave a small smile to him and hugged him a bit tighter as he looked back down, sensing the girl's worry over his behavior lately. Naruto grinned. "Here's an idea." He did the familiar seals, only they were a bit different than the original. "If this doesn't turn him back, I give up!" and when he finished, a cloud of smoke surrounded him, and slowly, he appeared in the form of Sakura, only… without clothes…

"P-Pervert!" Sakura yelled, attempting to hit Naruto on the head but Sasuke glared and twitched, and once more, attacked the dead-last as Naruto turned back to his normal self and tried to push Sasuke away from him. "Ow! Cut it out teme! Oi! Ouch! Ow! Sakura!"

Kakashi sighed and shrugged. "I have no more ideas left." He turned to Sakura who was just watching at the wrestling match between the best friends slash rivals. "What's been happening lately?" Sakura turned to Kakashi and then back at Sasuke. "I've been having dreams, if that's anyway to help with our situation."

"Dreams like..?"

"Like Itachi coming back to life and killing Sasuke…"

"Keep going." Kakashi said, sitting down on one of the couches and ignoring Naruto's cries of pain when Sasuke was done scratching and biting him. The neko jumped on Sakura's lap who sat adjacent to Kakashi and then curled up into a ball, closing his eyes as he tried to get some sleep and ignore Naruto's insults. Sakura stroked the neko's hair and looked down at him as she told Kakashi her nightmares.

"Not to mention that Itachi almost killed him in my dream in the Uchiha district…"

"Wait! The Uchiha district?" Kakashi almost yelled. Naruto snapped his fingers. "We've got to get there! It could be the only way to turn Sasuke back to normal!"

"How sure are you guys that that would happen?" she asked, standing up to follow the two men none the less, Sasuke instantly waking up from her sudden sprint. "Just a hunch." They both answered. She sighed and looked down at Sasuke when he meowed questioningly. She smiled softly at him and lowered her head to him a bit, giving him a light kiss on top of his head. "Don't worry, we'll find a way to get you back to normal, and if Itachi does try to kill you, I'll make sure he won't be able to even lay a finger on you, nor will he hurt you, ever again."

* * *

They reached the Uchiha district and stopped to catch their breaths. Sakura looked around; recognizing the place from her dream as she slowly took a few steps forward inside the closed area. The two males gave her confused looks before following her inside. She continued leading them to the same paths she took in her dream, following and relying on her instincts. Kakashi's eyes widened all of a sudden as he came to a complete stop. Naruto did the same and felt an eerie aura around them. Sakura, on the other hand, narrowed her eyes at the man that stood before them, fully aware of Sasuke's glare and sharingan-activated eyes. 

"So nice of you to personally deliver my brother for me to kill." He spoke. "I appreciate it."

Kakashi and Naruto quickly stepped in front of Sakura, their fighting and defensive stances ready as Sakura remained rooted on her spot. Itachi sighed at this and ran a hand through his bangs. "I don't want to deal with any of you but my brother. We have a score to settle."

"No." Sakura firmly said.

"Hm, you're pretty stubborn as well."

"Why are you still alive?" she questioned. Itachi sighed. "It's a family secret as to how I managed to keep my body preserved. It's a forbidden skill that made me rise from the dead upon contact with the one who killed me." He narrowed his eyes at Sasuke. "But he wasn't able to react fast enough when I injected him the fluid that I had in a vile, the last one that our organization made, until the Sand came to destroy these, as well as a few ANBU teams from Konoha. I wanted to test the experiment, but I wasn't able to fully inject everything in him, which resulted his state right now. Otherwise, he would've been a cat or a beast."

"How do you turn him back?" she demanded another answer from him.

"That is one question I will not answer." And without warning, Itachi charged at them. Kakashi acted quickly and blocked him, earning him a hand-to-hand combat with Itachi. Naruto prepared his rasengan, finally able to do it with one hand only."You had better tell us or we'll kick your sorry ass back to hell!"

Itachi gave a smug smirk. "If you do that, all the more Sasuke won't turn back to normal."

"What?" Kakashi asked, his eyes glaring at his opponent. "Ah yes, Hatake Kakashi…" Itachi said, jumping away from the silver-haired jounin. "I do believe that my sources tell me that you favor my little brother the most in your team. Is it hard to accept him as a cat?"

"Shut up and tell us the cure Itachi!"

"Like I said earlier, that is one thing I will not answer." And Kakashi made the mistake of looking into the older Uchiha's eyes once more, as he found himself trapped in the world of Tsukiyomi. There he saw Itachi standing in front of him, holding onto a katana while he was tied to a cross, ready to be stabbed and tortured. _"This is just an illusion… just an illusion… just an-"_

"Get ready for another torture fest."

"AGH!!!!!"

"Kakashi-sensei!" Both Naruto and Sakura cried as they saw their teacher fall to his knees, his eyelids blocking his vision as he fainted and fell to the ground. Itachi took out his own sword and prepared himself to stab the jounin when a red-orange chakra caught his eyes. He looked at one of his wrist, seeing Naruto's hand that glowed with the Kyuubi's chakra preventing him from killing Kakashi. The once blue eyes of the ANBU now turned to red, and his facial features have also changed, turning more menacing, five tails emerging from behind, glowing a bright fiery red.

"The kyuubi's powers…" Itachi whispered, hiding his amused expression. "Interesting, but-" he kicked the blonde ANBU away as Naruto tried to struggle and attacked the Akatsuki member without thinking, all the while with Sakura telling him to control his emotions. "It's no use," he said. "If you can't control your emotions, then you can't control this great power within you." He threw Naruto towards a concrete wall, causing the blonde to hit the back of his head hard. He tried to get up, his chakra slowly fading as his eyes turned back to blue. "Emotions are a hindrance to a Shinobi, and with that power of yours, you're wasting it all on love." He said, kicking him in the ribs. "Your love for this village that only insulted you, your love for your teacher that you saved who didn't even favored you much until my brother left. My brother, who insulted you, turned his back on you, yet you still consider him your best friend, after he," Itachi spared Sakura a glance. "After he took the girl you loved in your life-the same girl who didn't notice or acknowledged your feelings. You're pathetic, as pathetic as my brother."

"Shut up…" he muttered, coughing out blood as he slowly raised his head. "These villagers, though they hated me back then, they now treat me as a person, they notice me, and they finally give me respect, after serving and protecting this village, I finally gained what I wanted from them- Acceptance." Itachi punched him on the stomach, but Naruto continued. "Even if Kakashi-sensei did prefer Sasuke over me, I still appreciate his teachings and training, and everything else. He treated me as not only a friend, but a family."

"Nonsense." The Uchiha murmured, kicking him again but still, the blonde ANBU kept talking, annoying Itachi all the more. "That traitor you're talking about is your brother, and my best friend, the only guy who shared the same loneliness I did, the only guy whom I recognized as both a friend and a brother. You failed your role to be a brother, so I'm not about to do the same." He looked up and glared at Itachi with his deep blue eyes. "And that girl you're talking about is my friend, I already have a girlfriend, and it's not her, yet I am happy about it! Because Sakura isn't really the one for me, but she is the one for my best friend! It was from her that I learned the meaning of what true love really is!"

"Ridiculous." Itachi seethed, kneeing him on the gut. "It's time someone shut you up." Naruto tried to fight the unconsciousness that threatened to conquer him, but he couldn't. Somehow, that week-long mission he just had drained most of his remaining energy, and he can't help but feel like there's no longer hope for team 7 to live and brag about their survival against Itachi. He smiled at the thought, and slowly, his world turned black.

"_I tried… I'm sorry Konoha, sensei… Sasuke… Sakura… and… Hinata…"_

"Two down," Itachi murmured and turned to Sasuke and Sakura. "Two more to go."

Sakura gritted her teeth and placed Sasuke down, telling him to stay put and not interfere as she charged towards Itachi head on, fist ready to punch the older Uchiha's jaw. She noticed the smirk he gave, and she immediately screeched to a halt when he disappeared from her sight, teleporting behind her and heading towards Sasuke. "Game over."

"_No…" _she thought, clenching her fists as she broke into a run. "No!"

And blood was spilled as soon as Itachi brought down his kunai.

_**To be continued…**_

* * *

_Next on Neko Sasuke: Chapter 5: You're My Reason_

"Damn it Sakura! Don't you get it?" he half-yelled half-asked, grabbing he by the shoulders as her eyes widened in utter disbelief of what he just did. "Sasuke-kun…" his grip on her tightened and he slowly looked up at her, onyx eyes staring deep into her green orbs. "Don't you ever think what will happen to us? What will to happen to me when you just act on impulse?" he questioned, eyes starting to blur and body beginning to tremble. "I don't know what I'll do if I loose you, if you die because of me…"

* * *

_A/N: Sad to say, the next chapter _is _and _will be _the _LAST _chapter. No sequels, no requests and etc. I still have other fics I wish to accomplish, so please, don't ask me to make the story longer or do a sequel. The next will definitely be the final. Don't forget to vote on your reviews! Check my profile for more info on the poll.  
_


	5. You're My Reason

**Neko Sasuke**

Itachi smirked; amused at the way the girl had blocked the attack meant for Sasuke at the price of possibly her own life. "I guess what I've heard about you is true." He said, twirling the kunai in his hand to remove the blood that stained the sharp metal blade. "You do anything for the sake of others without hesitating at all, especially if it's to protect or save my brother." Itachi continued to play with his kunai as he watched Sakura fall to her knees, her left hand on her stomach's wound. "That would be a disadvantage in bearing the next generation of Uchiha brats." He said, giving a mocking look of pity.

"Why do you care?" she asked, her brows furrowed as blood trickled from her lip to her chin, not noting how the neko behind her was frozen on the spot after witnessing what happened. "You massacred the whole clan and left Sasuke to live alone and miserable!"

"Hn, true, but then, that's what you and the kyuubi vessel are here for right? To show him the path of light, the path opposite to where I directed him." He prepared himself for another assault towards the bleeding kunoichi. "I managed to lure him to the path of darkness, but you had to come and interfere, you and that blonde brat, as well as that Kakashi intervened and directed him to another way, and because of that," he then ran towards her, causing her eyes to widen at the speed the older Uchiha showed. "I have lost and you will have to die!"

"Sakura!**_"  
_**

* * *

**_Chapter 5: You're My Reason_**

Naruto had just gained consciousness right in time to witness what just happened. Everything seemed to go too fast for him. Earlier, Sakura was the one defending Sasuke, this time, it's the other way around, except…

"Teme! You're back!" he yelled, eyes showing how happy he was despite how his body ached all over. Itachi narrowed his eyes when he saw his brother, back in his eighteen year old self, eyes blazing red and his whole physique clad in the ANVU uniform, minus the mask. The katana of the Uchiha clan was strapped on his back, and he seemed to be really pissed. "Hello foolish little brother…" Itachi seethed as they both jumped back, still holding up in defense position. "It's bad enough you killed our clan and left me alone, but having to kill those people who have become so precious to me is already low enough, even for you Itachi!" and he charged at his brother without warning, engaging them both into hand-to-hand combats.

Sakura clutched onto her wound, eyes not leaving Sasuke's form as she replayed everything that happened a few seconds ago in her head. _"He… said my name… and blocked the attack for me…" _she remembered how Itachi was so close to killing her, but then her ears picked up Sasuke's voice, and within the blink of an eye, he was already in front of her in his present form, defending her against Itachi. _"He's back…" _she thought, a small smile tugging on her lips as she continued to watch the younger Uchiha gain the upper hand of the battle.

"Impressive," Itachi commented, taking out three kunai on each hand and throwing it to Sasuke. "But I can't let you win." Sasuke managed to deflect and dodge the kunai thanks to his quick reflexes and sharingan eyes. However, he failed to sense the kick Itachi sent him, causing his back to hit the concrete wall behind him. He grunted and staggered to his feet, ignoring the searing pain that he felt. "Stay down." Itachi ordered, kicking him to the side. The 18-year old ANBU captain pushed himself up to his feet, glaring at his brother, telling him in a silent way that he will not loose or give in to Itachi. "I said, stay down!" he ran towards his brother but his eyes widened when Sasuke gave a smirk.

"_What the-?!"_

After Itachi punched Sasuke, he disappeared in a cloud of smoke and reappeared behind Itachi, kicking him on the back as the akatsuki member fell to the ground with a hard thud, scrambling to his feet almost instantly when Sasuke had cried out his Katon jutsu. "Damn." Sasuke cursed, seeing only Itachi's cloak on the ground that was burnt to a crisp and not his brother. "That was one of my favorite cloaks Sasuke…" he turned around and was met with a fist that caused his nose to bleed.

"You lack hatred…" Itachi said, cracking his knuckles. "If only you don't feel anything towards these people, then maybe you could've killed me soon."

"You're wrong…" Sasuke replied, wiping the blood off of his chin as he slowly stood up, eyes not leaving Itachi's. "When I first only had hatred in me, I lost to you easily, but when I fight you for the sake of Konoha, for the sake of protecting my friends in this village, for the sake of saving other clans from being killed by you, I found the strength and power to somehow defeat you." He raised his right hand and had it wrapped around the handle of his katana as he slowly drew it out from its sheath, his left hand tracing the sharp and shiny blade that gleamed against the moon's light. "And now, it's because of them that I…" his katana started to emit the sound of a thousand birds chirping as blue light coated the blade. "…have become stronger!" and with inhuman speed, he managed to pierce his brother's stomach and electrocuted the Akatsuki's body. "This is for Sakura…" he hissed, pulling out his blade afterwards, causing Itachi to fall to his knees and shake as the electricity continued to shock his system.

"D-Damn you… Sasuke…"

"We could've continued living on as brothers…" Sasuke's eyes gazed at Itachi's in a serious way as he started to talk and let out his thoughts. "Why..? Why did you have to kill them? I know it's not just to measure your capacity! I know that there's a real good reason!" he punched his brother's face, causing the older Uchiha to fall backwards and struggle to sit up. "Why didn't you just take me with you? Why did you have to leave me alone in Konoha? To live in an unsightly way as you would put it? Why did you make me go through all of that crap when you knew how much I actually idolized you?" he ran towards Itachi and kicked him, letting out his frustration. "Answer me Itachi! Why didn't you just kill me on the night you killed the clan?"

Itachi coughed out blood and struggled to get to his feet, only to fall back down. "…you're my brother…" he managed to say. Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "And for that reason you made me have a fucked-up life?"

"No…" he answered, spitting out the blood that was in his mouth. "You were still too young to understand…" he slowly got up, clutching on to his stomach where blood poured out heavily. "The clan… everything was about the clan… I wanted to free you from this clan Sasuke… if I couldn't handle the pressure and responsibilities of being the heir, I knew that you won't be able to either, so instead of running away, I did the next thing that came to my mind, kill them."

"Why didn't you just take me with you then? Why did you have to leave me? You could've explained everything!"

"You were still too young to understand… and just by looking at you, I knew you wouldn't turn your back on this family, that's why I was forced to get rid of them for you, if I took you with me, your talents and skills would've been a waste." He forced a smile at his little brother who now had his eyes widened. "I don't want my brother to become like me, that's why I left you alone, I didn't want you to leave the safety of this village, where you have the chance to surpass me." He could feel his life slowly leave his body when he fell to his knees. "And seeing as you've won, I guess… I'm successful in raising you in a sick and different way…" he looked up at Sasuke, his smile not fading. "Now I can stop acting in front of you, I'm dying anyway, so I might as well tell you everything. Sasuke, the Akatsuki org, the reason why they suddenly disappeared, is because Kisame and I killed them. Kisame only did it because I told him to, and he can't say no to me, otherwise, he'll die in my hands."

"Why did you kill the Akatsuki?"

"They're a threat right? I eliminated them because I was already strong enough to do so, I only came here to let you kill me, but when we encountered each other on the day you killed Kisame, you weren't strong enough, you needed to have a motivation." His eyes landed on Sakura who blinked. "She was your inspiration right? And she was also the key to getting you back to normal. I had to somehow wound her to trigger you, and afterwards, attack her weakening state, which caused you to turn back to human." He flinched from the pain his wound gave. "Honestly, the vile I injected you with was the last one in Orochimaru's lab, and it isn't permanent, as you can see. You weren't able to kill me because you missed my heart by five inches, so I quickly healed myself and managed to knock you out, then I pierced my pressure points with senbon needles to knock myself out after making sure that my body won't be experimented or touch by anyone besides you."

"Then… when Sasuke pounced on you- that touch caused you to awaken?" Sakura asked, flinching when her stomach started to ache.

"Yes." Itachi answered, weakening by the minute. "Sasuke," his little brother looked up at Itachi with guilty eyes. "Don't feel guilty, now please, end my suffering, free me from my crime…"

"…hai…" and again, the sound of a thousand birds filled the air as Sasuke's katana emitted blue chakra. He ran towards Itachi with the blade poised to kill, his sharingan eyes turning back to black and started to shed tears as flashbacks of him and his brother's good times years before came coming in his mind.

Itachi slowly closed his eyes, his smile not fading. _"I'm proud of you, Sasuke…"_

"Nii-san…" Sasuke whispered when his blade had stabbed Itachi's heart, the chidori dying along when the point of his sword pierced through Itachi's body, all the way to his back. "Nii-san!"

_You're the reason why I'm an S-class nin…_

* * *

"I see, so that's what happened…" Tsunade sighed and stamped the folder on her desk, marking it as "success" and setting it aside as she had her eyes turn to the ANBU teen before her, most of his body covered in bandages. "Itachi planned the whole thing from the very beginning…" she whispered, earning a nod from Sasuke. _"What a prodigy…" _she sighed and stood up. "Anyway, job well done Sasuke, you may leave."

He nodded and turned around, heading towards the door but stopped shortly. "Hokage-sama…"

"Hm?"

"Is there any news about Sakura's condition?"

"Well, you are aware that she nearly died, but then, I managed to heal her wounds completely, and she's just resting right now to regain her strength. By tomorrow, she'll be in tip top shape." Tsunade smiled at the remaining Uchiha who gave a nod and then left the room. _"I swear, that boy really needs to let out whatever he's feeling towards Sakura…"_

* * *

A knock on the door was heard and Sakura looked up from the book she was reading, the sound also waking up Naruto and calling the attention of Kakashi who looked up from his new Icha Icha book. "It's open." Sakura said. The door opened and in came Sasuke, his forehead had a bandaged around it and his left cheek also had a white patch that was secured by a medical tape. The three ninjas guessed that if he didn't have his ANBU uniform on, there would be a lot more bandages present. "Good to have you back among the human race Sasuke." Kakashi greeted with a smile. For once, since the last team 7 reunion, he didn't have a mask on. "Not funny." He muttered, turning to Sakura afterwards who blushed a bit and looked back down on her book.

"What brings you here teme?" Naruto asked, yawning. "None for your business." He replied, not taking his eyes off of Sakura. "If you two don't mind, I'd like to talk to Sakura alone."

Kakashi gave a nod and stood up, about to leave before Naruto yelled. "OMG! You're going to rape her!" a hardbound book was thrown at him, followed by a dozen kunai which he managed to dodge. "Are you two trying to kill me?" Naruto yelled, nursing the newly formed bump on his head as he glared at Sakura and Sasuke who also had death glares on their faces. "Trying? No. We were planning to!" Sakura seethed. Naruto gulped and was about to say something but Kakashi cut him off and dragged him away, saying ye bye to the two. "Oh, and Sasuke?"

The ANBU teen looked at him and caught a book from Kakashi. "You can return that to me tomorrow, it's the latest volume." And he left after closing the door. Sasuke looked down at the orange book in his right hand before shrugging and putting it in his back pocket. "Sasuke, you're not serious!" Sakura gaped. A raised eyebrow answered her. "I think you were there on my eighteenth birthday when Kakashi gave me a set of it."

"You actually read those?"

"What's wrong with it? I'm already of legal age, and besides, just because I read it doesn't mean I'm a pervert or will actually turn like Jiraiya, Naruto or Kakashi."

"B-but you're reading perverted books!"

Sasuke sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Sakura, it's a novel that has porn, it's not exactly a book for perverts."

"Of all books why that?"

"Duh, it's less expensive, has a shorter and simple plot, and it's a series. Unlike some books that actually have pointless drabbles."

"…" silence engulfed them as Sakura twitched. "I still say you're a pervert."

"How? You don't see me spying on girls taking a bath or following a woman around. Heck you don't even see me doing anything perverted aside from reading a book that had a rating of R."

"_He has a point…" _Sakura thought. "But I bet you're mind is full of those…"

"Look, I'm not here to discuss about… _this_, I'm here to actually talk."

"Okay, then talk."

He sighed and sat down at the side of her bed, eyes looking at the wall where the kunai he threw at Naruto were stuck to. "I… just wanted to say thanks…" he looked down for a moment, choosing his words carefully. "…for taking care of me when I was a half-cat, and for everything else."

"Oh, it's no problem, really." She said, looking down as well, her cheeks the color of red as her lips formed a small smile. The image of neko Sasuke came to her mind, and somehow, she missed the presence of the cat, she missed the affectionate side of Sasuke, including the jealous one. "So, that's all you wanted to tell me?"

"No." after realizing what he said, he slapped himself mentally for slipping. "I'm just wondering why you blocked Itachi's attack… you could've died…"

Sakura managed a smile and turned to face him, her hand reaching out to touch his as he averted his gaze to their hands then to her emerald orbs. "I did it because I would give up my life to anyone who is precious to me. I don't care what happens as long as the people I care for are safe." She felt Sasuke's hand clench and saw how his brows furrowed. "Sasuke..?"

"That's… stupid…"

"Why would it be stupid? I mean, it's not like everyone will all die when I loose my life, right?"

Silence answered her, and Sakura tilted her head to the side, observing how he reacted to her words. When he didn't say anything, she looked down, a frown on her face. "Besides, I don't think it would bother you one bit if I die…"

"Damn it Sakura! Don't you get it?" he half-yelled half-asked, grabbing her by the shoulders as her eyes widened in utter disbelief of what he just did. "Sasuke-kun…" his grip on her tightened and he slowly looked up at her, onyx eyes staring deep into her green orbs. "Don't you ever think what will happen to us? What will happen to me when you just act on impulse?" he questioned, eyes starting to blur and body beginning to tremble. "I don't know what I'll do if I loose you, if you die because of me…"

"Sasuke-kun…"

"That night…" he whispered, looking back down to avoid her gaze when he felt his eyes water. Sakura noted the droplets that fell on her blanket. "When I carried your weakening form to the hospital…" he was starting to shake again. "…I… was scared." Her eyes widened. "Scared of loosing you… I didn't know what to do, I don't know what I'll do if you would have died two days ago…"

"Hey," she called out in a soft voice, cupping his face in both her hands to make him look up at her. She gave a sweet smile to him. "I'm alive now right? I'm doing fine, so don't worry, stop dwelling in the past Sasuke, it's all over." She used her thumb to wipe away some tears he silently shed, not used to seeing him like this, it pained her to see him sad, and she asked him to at least not cry. "So, what do you plan to do now that you've accomplished your goal?" she asked, removing her hands from his face as she lowered her head, blushing under his intent gaze.

Sakura nearly jumped when one of his hands touched her own, and the other to raise her chin to level his. She blinked and stared at him, her face turning a deeper shade of red. He tilted his head to the side slightly to get a perfect angle for their lips to meet. He closed his eyes and leaned closer to her face, her eyelids automatically shutting her vision of her surroundings, waiting for the touch of his lips. "Aishiteru…" he whispered before fully closing the gap of their lips, sealing his love with one kiss.

* * *

"Give it back!" she yelled, jumping to grab the Sasuke plushie in the ANBU teen's hands. Sasuke smirked and watched as she desperately tried to get it. "Come on Sasuke, give it back!" she pouted at him, and he found it really cute to see her like that while still in her sleep wear, which was, by the way, only a long-sleeved button-up shirt and her underwear. Great, he suddenly had naughty thoughts. _"Maybe I am turning into a pervert… only when I'm around her that is." _He told himself, his arm still raised above his head where he held onto the Sasuke plsuhie, his eyes not leaving her body. 

She huffed and crossed her arms, much to his delight since it somehow, puffed up her breast. _"Damn…" _he thought as he lowered his arm, causing Sakura to quickly dive down and grab the Sasuke plushie. "Yay! I have you back now!" she squealed, hugging it to her chest. Sasuke blushed after recalling how his neko self once rubbed its cheek on her bosom, and somehow, it caused him to smirk. She sensed it, and turned around to face and question him, but only had his lips crash onto hers, followed by his hands pinning hers above her head and had her under him on the bed.

"Don't let your guard down Sakura." He whispered in her ear, flicking it lightly as she shivered. Her eyes gazed back into his onyx ones, and she suppressed the urge to moan when he kissed her neck. "I think your team is waiting for you at the gates…"

"Let them wait." He said, marking her as his.

"_Fine, two can play at this game..." _she purposely arched her back, causing her chest to touch his, earning an erection from him. She smirked without him seeing it, and slowly lifted her right leg, her top slipping off to reveal her thigh. "So you're gonna stay here with me?" she asked in a seductive tone. When he gave a nod, she quickly flipped him, causing his eyes to widen when he found himself under her. She grinned cheekily. "Don't let your guard down Sasuke."

"Hn." And he looked at her chest which was directly in front of his face, seeing her cleavage. She blushed and quickly let go of his wrists to cover her chest, which was a wrong move since he used this to his advantage by pushing her down on the bed. "You were saying?" he smirked. Sakura rolled her eyes and sighed. "Just go to your team already, you have a week-long mission, maybe even longer."

"Yeah, why else do you think am I taking my time here?"

"Come on, it's just an escorting mission. It'll only take you long because of the journey there, but you'll be fine." Sasuke gave a small smile and kissed her on the lips softly. "Ja." And when she opened her eyes, he was gone. _"He's getting faster each day." _She sat up and picked up her Sasuke plushie that was on the ground. She turned to her bed and was shocked to find that her Sakura plushie wasn't there. "Where-" she stopped and looked down at the Sasuke plushie, a smile on her face as her gaze turned to the window. She opened it and let the morning sun and wind in, her long hair flowing with the zephyr.

"Aishiteru Sasu-kun." And she hugged the plushie tighter.

* * *

"You're late Captain." One ANBU member said, putting on his mask as soon as he saw the young Uchiha approach them. "Yeah, sorry 'bout that, I lost track of time." He explained, turning back to his girlfriend's house and gave a small smile. "It's okay, we understand." Another said, knowing very well where their captain went. "Alright, move out." Sasuke ordered. They were to head over to another country to pick up a close friend of the Hokage who will probably be a good supplier for their village. It was important of course, because Tsunade had marked it as A-rank, since the dealer owned a large company that produced rum. 

As soon as he stepped out of the village's border, he turned back to Konoha and smiled, imagining Sakura standing a few feet away from him, waiting for him to be out of sight. "You're the reason of my existence Sakura, the reason I live." He looked down to the object in his hand, a plushie of his girlfriend, and smiled. _"You're My Reason." _And he lowered his mask and took off to start a new day, to finish a new mission.

_**The End**_

* * *

_A/N: yeah, yeah, I know the ending sucked. As for the Itachi part, well, it would be cliché if I had Sasuke just kill Itachi because the weasel's a cold-hearted murderer who hurt Sasuke's Sakura-chan, so I changed it. Hehe. Goodbye to you my readers! I'll see you all in Yakuza II if I ever get inspiration to do it! Or maybe I'll see you all in Ironies of Life! Don't forget to pick: For the upcoming Off-Cam fic, which of my Naruto stories would you like to read about with regards to bloopers?_

_Yakuza I and II - 7 votes_  
_Fallen - 1 vote_  
_Cold - 3 votes_  
_Snapshot - 2 votes_  
_Neko Sasuke - 1 vote_  
_SUSH combo: High on Fluff - none_


End file.
